Emilie Olifant launched her novel, My Life Climax, in August. We sat down with her to learn more
What inspired you to write the novel?
I’ve always kept a journal. When I had my car accident, I started putting my thoughts, feelings and frustrations down on paper, mostly just to defuse, but also to heal and move on.
How did you find the experience of writing the novel? What were some of the challenges or aspects you liked?
At first, it was easy, because I had a collection of thoughts that I had written already and I updated my stories; but it was when I started writing the chapter about My Empowerment Journey that I felt the anxiety and pressure from within. I fell sick. Losing my job last year had a huge effect on me and things hadn’t all been rosy after that.
Reliving the experience of losing my job made me sick. I had a fever, caught a stomach bug and felt miserable for days. It was after talking to my mentor and doing some meditation that I realised that I was finally healing and moving on from that experience.
Will you write another novel?
Yes. I’m planning to make writing novels my newly discovered hobby. If it turns out to be a business venture, great! Otherwise, I’d be happy to touch people’s hearts through my writing. I would like to take chapters from My Life Climax and elaborate them even further, but the books I write next must be relevant to everyone and carry with them my advocacy for disability rights.
Where can we find your book?
We’re still establishing distribution channels, but, in the meantime, people can get their copies from me by email at emilie.olifant@gmail.com or by mobile or WhatsApp at 063 872 9880.
